ClapTrap

Camino Rocks!

Thanks to Blogenlust for the tip. Able to import bookmarks with one click, and pages load much faster. See now that Opera has a Bittorrent plugin built-in. May give it a whirl.

Browsers

Going to give Camino a try. Better than Firefox? Let's see. If I can avoid doing html and import all my bookmarks, then I'll be sold.

Firefox 1.5

        Final Candidate out now.  Get it while it's hot (OSX download).

More TV

        I linked to this story earlier about Yahoo and AOL selling some tv shows and then using p2p to distribute them; since that time a British friend here has told me about this site : it's all the great shows from the BBC (ok, not all) for free, and available using Bit Torrent (or equivalent).  You have to register to get the torrents, but it's well worth it; I just downloaded a series on the SS, another on Mozart, and documentaries about Pol Pot and Jimi Hendrix respectively.  Amazing selection of shows, and lightning fast download times.  Well worth a visit.

Pwned!

        Sony is finally waking up to the disaster that is its new DRM.   Not only does it illegaly invade your computer and insert hidden phone-home type instructions, but it also serves as a conduit for trojan horses, virii and the like.  Funnier still, it violates the copyright of an mp3 encoder (lgpl license) while doing so.  That is, in order to protect copyright it violates copyright.  What's next?  Sony rootkit kills puppies (stolen from slashdot discussion)?  Look for a big class-action lawsuit coming down the pike.

At Last!

        Now we can beyond the bs about all internet downloading and sharing being evil. AOL has made a very smart move here, one that will legitimize bit torrent, among others.  Not that I really want to see Welcome Back, Kotter, but assuredly better stuff is on the horizon.

Please Be True

        I so want to believe in this.  Even though it breaks Quantum theory.  Forget Peak Oil if this turns out to be viable.

The Time-Space Continuum Has Cracked

            This is truly the seventh sign.   Prepare for the rapture.  I wonder how many of them (the rapturees) have iPods?  I may need a new one soon.

Nice Deals

            The day after I was looking at a flyer for a electronics superstore (particularly the bit on el cheapo DVD players) my DVD player dies.  Weird coincidence.  Shows the picture, but no sound.  And when it did have sound, it always sucked.  Headed over to superstore and picked up a brand new multi-region player for $59. And the sound is awesome.  Not as pretty (or big) as the now dead (Pioneer) player, so I'll just have to be satisfied with all the other positive things about it.  Oh well.

Lassitude

            Finally got around to syncing my iPod with my computer after a year and a half of procrastination.  When my old computer (desktop G4) died, I started using a powerbook I was lucky enough to have lying around.  The problem with syncing with a new computer is that it erases completely the music on the iPod and, well, syncs it with your current computer.  As in the computer you didn't spend hours and hours and hours uploading all your (extensive) CD collection to.  Which means doing it all over again. So much fun.  Then I googled around and found iPodRip , a nifty bit of software that lets you shift music from your iPod onto your present computer.  It's not free, but it does allow you ten free uses before the shareware lockdown kicks in.  Well worth the download if you find yourself in a similar predicament.